Nuggets on the verge of history following Game 4 win over Heat
The Denver Nuggets are one win away from winning the franchise's first Larry O'Brien Trophy.
On a night when star Nikola Jokic and point guard Jamal Murray combined for 38 points, two improbable heroes picked the Nuggets up. Aaron Gordon and Bruce Brown steadied the ship, helping lead the Nuggets to a 108-95 Game 4 win and a commanding 3-1 series lead in the NBA Finals.
Gordon finished with a team-high 27 points, shooting 11-of-15 from the field with three three-pointers. Meanwhile, Brown came off the bench and tallied 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting, nailing three triples of his own.
The Heat held a slim one-point advantage, and with Jokic on the bench to start the second after rolling his ankle, Miami had a prime opportunity to build on their lead. However, during Jokic's brief absence, Gordon responded by scoring 15 of his 16 first-half points in the second, helping Denver take a 55-51 lead at the half, despite a late Heat push.
After Gordon shined in the opening half, Brown took over in the second for the Nuggets. Brown tallied 11 of his 21 points in the final stanza, and the Nuggets built a 13-point advantage, ultimately leading to the Game 4 victory.
Despite a slow night by both of their standards offensively, Jokic and Murray somehow made NBA history.
Along with 23 points, Jokic finished with 12 rebounds and four assists, becoming the first player ever to post 250 rebounds and 150 assists in a single postseason, per the NBA. Meanwhile, Murray joined Magic Johnson as the only player to post 10 or more assists in four straight Finals games.
After sweeping two games on the road against the Heat, the Nuggets will return home looking to finish the job. Denver will host Miami for Game 5 on Monday at 8:30 p.m.
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